Being spoken about, I felt like I heard Hyue’s heart skip a beat.

“Hyue had grown plenty enough as a wind gun user to leave the job of hero to her. In regards to the coordination with the other heroes as well, she possesses the most valuable trait that the heroes require from now on. Juo, this is something that you are the most bad at dealing with.” (Shiva)

“Uuhh…!” (Juo)

“But I don’t remember ever abandoning you. It is true that it was my bad for passing on the hero position without talking to you about it, but I do think that I need your help in the future, and the people of Rudras Metropolis as well.” (Shiva)

“Shiva-sama!” (Juo)

“Wasn’t it you who created practically all the foundations regarding the moving city! Your will for research and those novel ideas of yours, they will be necessary for us now and in the future. That’s why, please stay by my side and help us out. The title of hero doesn’t matter!!” (Shiva)

“Shiva-sama…! I love you…!” (Juo)

“Hm? Did you say something?” (Shiva) <Hahahahahahaha!>

“…It is nothing.” (Juo)

My god.

Could this be…<the legendary ‘Eh? Nandatte?’>

Juo had told me something in person between the match. ‘There’s something I can’t give up on’, ‘I will have Shiva resign from his Founder position’. She said that because she had feelings for him as a childhood friend and wanted to be together with him forever?

She thought that she had been abandoned after Hyue had become a hero, and using this, Ates or someone in that faction fanned her on to participate in this.

And there’s no way Hyue, who shows signs of being a bro-con, would see this in a good wind.

“This matter has been wrapped up then. Hyue, I will be counting on you on the hero job.” (Shiva)

“Aniue-sama, move away. I can’t shoot her to death with you in the way.” (Hyue)

“Don’t shoot.” (Shiva)

I feel like I understand now. The reason for the confrontation between the new and old wind heroes.

That’s why, I told Shiva this.

“You should just explode.” (Haine)

“I was suddenly insulted?!” (Shiva)

The Wind Founder is someone you just want to insult.

And Yorishiro who was actually here from the very beginning and was watching over this…

“This is a development that makes me want to puke-desu wa.” (Yorishiro)

She was angered by Shiva’s dense headed attitude.

Shiva was bewildered by the atmosphere of irritation coming from his surroundings.

“What’s with everyone?! Did I do something wrong?! —Wait, ouch! Something hit me on my back! What’s with this cow?! Why did it suddenly tackle me?! What’s with that threatening pose?! Don’t go doing preparations to tackle me again!!” (Shiva)

• 208: The stage of heroes

“Please let us fight as well.” (Karen)

The heroes of other churches were all inside the same meeting room as well, and Karen-san was representing them.

“The dangers of this world already have no distinction between churches. If they are in that place and have the strength to fight, we have to face the enemy together.” (Karen)

The head Shiva looks at the surroundings after that proposal. Earth, Water, Fire, and Light; all the other Founders nodded together.

“Then, I will be counting on you. As the Wind Founder, we are deeply grateful for the gracious deeds of you heroes.” (Shiva)

But…I was so worried. I couldn’t just not ask.

“Are you okay, Karen-san? What about your injuries in that explosion…” (Haine)

“It is okay! The burns have all been healed by Celestis-chan, and after the examination of the Wind Church, they told me that my insides are fine!” (Karen)

Karen-san pumps her fists to appeal her energy, but even with that, I was worried.

Karen-san is the type that would a hundred percent act strong in the cases when she is not okay.

Not only Karen-san; Mirack, Celestis, and Sasae-chan should still be fatigued by their matches.

The only one in the current heroes alliance that I can say is in perfect condition is Hyue.

“As I thought, I will be the one to!” (Haine)

In this occasion, I didn’t do much and still have plenty surplus of energy anyways.

There’s no need for Karen-san and the others that are injured to face danger. I can erase that thing in an instant with my dark matter and—

“Wait there.”

“Wait.”

The Light and Earth Founders grabbed my shoulders.

“Haine-san, I understand your feelings of caring for the well-being of the girls, but please spectate for a bit more.” (Yorishiro)

“This be the chance to push-sa ne. The biggest objective of the Hero Alliance be to have the heroes cooperate and face the monsters. We will be having ‘em witness this in the flesh.” (Oba-san)

Right now in this Rudras Metropolis, there’s many people from the five nations who came here to spectate the new and old heroes match.

If five heroes were to cooperate and defeat the monsters and this were to be witnessed by those people, this will increase the authenticity of the Hero Alliance and the Contra-Reconciliation side won’t even be able to breathe.

But…

“Just give it a break already.” (Haine)

I had to speak out strictly.

Just how much have Karen-san and the others pushed themselves today. They have endured underhanded tricks and strong enemies, and they are already injured all over.

It was all in order to push the political fight to the best of conditions for Yorishiro and the others.

But to make those girls fight even more for those same reasons, that would be pushing all of the burden onto them.

“Karen-san and the others have fought plenty enough! I will deal with the rest!” (Haine)

It was in the moment when I was about to leave the meeting room in anger, the girls stopped me who was plenty ready to head to battle.

“That’s unnecessary consideration, Haine. We are still in perfect form.” (Mirack)

“For this full day, this place is our stage. Refusing an encore would be a disgrace as an idol.” (Celestis)

“Having something to cut be happiness-dasu! As an earth hero, anything that can be cut will be cut-dasu!!” (Sasae)

Mirack, Celestis, Sasae-chan…

The three of them have by no means easily won the fights against the previous heroes that were their seniors.

Rather, they won with their bodies filled with injuries, and yet…

“Haine-dono, we want to test ourselves. Just how far we can go with our combined strengths.” (Hyue)

Hyue joins the row with her wind gun in hand.

“We all know that Haine-san is the strongest. But please, watch over us just for a bit more. I want everyone to see that the five of us together are also the strongest.” (Karen)

“…”

I am by no means the strongest.

I am this weak against the straightforward light in the eyes of these girls after all.

***

…And then, just a bit after, we five were standing at the wasteland.

I -Kourin Karen- and my companions, totalling a number of five.

“Everyone, I will ask just in case but, are your bodies okay? There’s no need to push yourselves, you know?” (Karen)

“That’s what I would like to ask you, Karen. Is there really no problem with the damage you received from the explosion?” (Mirack)

“What about you, Mirack-chi? You were cooked by your Senpai, weren’t you. Even now, I can still smell a slightly tasty scent, you know?” (Celestis)

“Celestis-neechan, it looked like ya won easily, but the exhaustion of divine power wasn’t anything ta sneeze at-dasu. The previous water hero be also a strong opponent-dasu!” (Sasae)

“Sasae-dono as well. The bandages around your body make you look like a mummy. As I thought, the unwounded me should hit that monster with the resentment I couldn’t hit Juo with!” (Hyue)

In the end, it means that we all are wounded.

But it is mysterious. Our condition is at the worst, and yet, I don’t feel like we will lose with all five of us here.

A half-transparent round mountain was approaching us from the front.

“O~h O~h, it is getting closer, it is getting closer, the Slime-chan. Just like the information stated, the trees and stones that it swallowed have been melted in an instant. Looks like the moment you get caught, there’s only death awaiting.” (Celestis)

“Looks like it is the basic to take distance and attack from afar. But before that…” (Hyue)

“[Holy Light Sword]!” “Fly, [Flame Knuckle]!” “[Water Rage]!” “[Transmute] a rock around here and…[All In, One Shot]-dasu!” “Wind long gun technique, [Bell Bang]!”

From each divine tool, different elements were shot at long-distance.

Those hit directly at the surface of the slime…but the problem comes from now on.

My ‘Holy Light Blade’ cut through the surface of the slime and did some damage to it as it dissipated, but it soon regenerated and there was no wound remaining.

Leaving that aside for now, the fire of Mirack-chan and the earth attack of Sasae-chan opened a hole in the semi-liquid body and soon regenerated, but…Celestis-chan’s water bullet hit the surface and didn’t leave a single wound behind. On the other hand, the wind bullet of Hyue-chan was the one that worked the most. It opened the deepest hole within the attacks of us five.

“It resisted the water attack and is weak against the wind element?!” (Celestis)

“In that case, it is earth element?!” (Mirack)

The slime is an earth element monster?

But wait. From what I heard, the earth element monsters should have only been the Golems that were born from Grandma Wood. Moreover, Grandma Wood -the Mother Monster that is their very source- is gone and shouldn’t be born anymore!

“The mystery solving sounds fun, but we should leave that for later.” (Celestis)

That’s right. At our back, there’s the Wind capital Rudras Metropolis and the millions of people living there.

As a moving city, they can run away from the slime, but they have stopped that now and are a few ways back from us in standby.

In order to watch over our battle.

Everyone is believing that us heroes will definitely win.

That expectation, that trust; in order to not betray it, we will defeat that giant jelly!

“I had the Kazama Shinobis do the protection of the city. It is a true to the word fight between us five and that water steamed bun.” (Hyue)

“Just what I wanted. That is exactly the stage where the heroes shine!” (Celestis)

The fight begins.

A flashy fight that will serve as the decoration to end this battle.

• 209: Persecution

“So, how are we going to defeat that giant steam bun? I think you already know, but we cannot make it into tea and drink it, you know!” (Mirack)

“It is that big after all. In the test shots before, there was a difference in effectivity, but in the end, the opened holes have all closed.” (Celestis)

That transparent liquid body, even if we were to injure it, the body begins to regenerate soon after and return to its previous state.

Even so, if we were to do a big attack that blows away a huge part of its body, it might be possible to inflict fatal damage, but every time we fight, they are always in that level of size. In terms of raw strength, we wouldn’t be able to win at all.

Even if it is with the wind element that is advantageous against it.

“But, even when it is that water-looking, it is earth element. How to I say it, it is like unexpected…” (Celestis)

“This is no time to be leisurely observing. That Slime might be slow, but it is steadily heading towards Rudras Metropolis. We have to defeat it somehow before it arrives here!” (Mirack)

It is just as Mirack-chan says.

And in order to defeat the Slime, we can’t just push with brute strength. We have to use wits as well.

What do we do…

…Ah.

“Hey everyone. Doesn’t that Slime resemble a Golem?” (Karen)

“Hah?” “Eh?” “Dasu?” “What?”

The approaching speed of the Slime is slow.

We still had the leeway to continue our planning.

“What are you saying, Karen-chi? That rough Golem and this round water Slime, there’s no similarities at all.” (Celestis)

“That be right, Karen-neechan! Just because they be the same earth element, ya grouping ‘em up be way too far fetched-dasu!” (Sasae)

It was a storm of complains from everyone but…

“Hm, as I thought, they really do resemble each other. The part about them regenerating as soon as their body is damaged!” (Karen)

The Slime we are fighting now would pour its liquid body to the damaged area and it would soon fix itself; the Golems would use the stones and earth of its surroundings to make their body again.

“Both of them use two different things to fix up their body. That regenerating trait they have, I don’t know if it is because they are both earth element monsters, but it is incredibly similar!” (Karen)

“That may be true, but what are you trying to get at with this?” (Hyue)

Hyue-chan has asked a good question, so I answered.

“Then, don’t you think there’s other things that are similar? Golems will regenerate as many times as they want as long as the Life Block that serves as its core is okay. In that case, maybe the Slime as well…” (Karen)

“““““Ah.”””””

Looks like everyone has understood now.

“That Slime might have a core as well, is what you are trying to say huh! I see. If that were to be destroyed, it would be leaps and bounds more efficient than just blowing it up without leaving any trace of it!” (Mirack)

“But how are we going to find the core inside such a big thing like that? Do we jump inside it and swim until we find it? We would be melted to the bones before we find it, you know?” (Celestis)

What Celestis-chan says is correct.

But I also had an idea regarding that.

“Everyone, hear me out.” (Karen)

***

The plan meeting has finished.

Now all that’s left is to move to action.

“Let’s do this, everyone!” (Mirack)

“Yes-dasu!” (Sasae)

“Hindrance team, move out!” (Celestis)

Dividing the team in two, Mirack-chan, Sasae-chan, and Celestis-chan run towards the Slime.

Paying plenty enough attention to their surroundings as they approach, they stop at a place where they can still maintain their safety.

“Around here should be fine. Let’s do this, Sasae!” (Mirack)

“Got it-dasu! [Magma Ocean]-dasu!” (Sasae)

The fire of Mirack-chan and the earth of Sasae-chan cooperate to create the combined element ‘Magma’.

The ground in front of them became redder, and becomes accumulated lava.

“It is a lava moat! It is crazy hot. If you can move through it, try it!” (Mirack)

“With this, the Slime should stop moving its feet-dasu! That water steam bun ain’t got any feet though, it just be a metaphor-dasu!” (Sasae)

What I asked of Mirack-chan and the others was to hold the Slime back.

While its movements have stopped by the lava moat, we continue our sure-kill plan.

“We did it! It is going smoothly! Everyone, do your best!” (Celestis)

And Celestis-chan who is at the back of Mirack-chan and Sasae-chan providing support.

“Celestis-nechan, ya be an extra-dasu! Putting it bluntly, there be no point in ya being here-dasu!” (Sasae)

“It truly is painful to get an enemy that your element can’t handle, right? I am truly glad I am not a water element that would make me spectate because it doesn’t work on the Slime~~!” (Mirack)

Leaving the defense to those three, Hyue-chan and I aim for the offensive.

“Hyue-chan, I am counting on you.” (Karen)

“Understood. Wind Gun Technique, [Echo]!” (Hyue)

Hyue-chan snipes the Slime at a slightly faraway location. However, what’s being shot is not the usual wind bullet.

“What the Wind Gun, En no Ozuno, is shooting is an ultrasound bullet that surpasses the hearing capabilities of a human. This resonates inside the Slime’s insides, and the echo that returns from it is caught by my ears.” (Hyue)

When I was hurt in the new and past heroes match, the proxy wind hero Juo-san utilized the ultrasound diagnosis device.

By pouring a special sound into the body of a human, you pick up the echoes of it to make it possible to confirm the state of the insides without cutting open the body. A mysterious machine.

I thought that maybe we could find the core of the slime with that same principle.

“But Karen-dono really does impress me. To think that you would immediately put to practical use something that happened just today.” (Hyue)

“I also didn’t think I would be utilizing it.” (Karen)

It really is useful to experience all you can.

“But there’s a problem.” (Hyue)

“What?” (Karen)

“The structure of the Slime is a lot more simple than that of a human, so it is possible to locate the core without the use of a machine. But it is still that size. It is impossible to cover its whole body with ultrasound with just one shot.” (Hyue)

“Then, what should we do?” (Karen)

“There’s no choice but to shoot several shots at different locations to cover the whole body as we search. It would take time though.” (Hyue)

It is okay.

That’s the reason why I have brought my usual flying machine and have Hyue-chan riding behind me.

In the time Mirack-chan and the others are holding it back, we will fly all around the Slime and shoot it all up!

But just as I was thinking that…

“Karen! Karen, this is terrible!” (Mirack)

Mirack-chan calls out to me.

“That water steam bun ain’t fazed at all from the lava-dasu! It be crossing it normally-dasu yo!” (Sasae)

No way!

The lava moat that Mirack-chan and Sasae-chan made was crossed by the Slime as if it were a wasteland with nothing in it.

It is not that it isn’t working. The liquid that touches the lava is making *fsst* sounds as it boils, but it didn’t look like the Slime was suffering at all.

It is going straight at it without losing any speed at all!

“Geez, what are you doing?! You people are really useless.” (Celestis)

“I don’t want to be told that by you!” “-Dasu!”

This is not the time to get soothed by the retort of Celestis-chan!

Can we even manage to locate the core by the time the Slime reaches Rudras Metropolis?!